The work of the Holy Spirit - pagina 245

THE MAN TO BE WROUGHT UPON and

makes the work

this feature

glorious,

For rious

let

work

us not deceive ourselves and speak any longer of a gloof grace if the omnipotent God treats man mechanically,

Then

there

no mystery for angels to look down and

is

but an immediate work of omnipotence breaking

creating anew. it is

of grace exceedingly beautiful,

and adorable.

as a stock or block. into,

205

revealed,

To admire

i.e.,

the

work

of grace

we should

take

it

as

work by which, the delicate and manifold

as a complicated, unsearchable

God adapts Himself to needs of man's spiritual being; and reveals His divine omnipotence in the victory over the endless and gigantic obstacles which human violating nothing,

nature puts in His way.

Even the heart

of

God

thirsts after love.

His entire counsel

may be reduced to one thought, viz., that in the end of the ages He may have a Church which shall understand His love and return But love can not be ordered, neither can it be forced in an unway. It can not be poured out in a man's heart mechanically. To be warm, refreshing, and satisfying, love must be quickened, cultivated, and cherished. Hence God does not instil an ounce of love into His people's hearts, in consequence of which they love Him, but He exhibits love to such an extent that He, who was from the beginning with God and was God, in unfathomable love dies for men on the cross. This would have been superfluous if man were a stock or block. Then God would only have had to create love in his heart, and men would have loved Him from sheer necessity, as a stove emits heat when the fire is lighted. But the love so warmly portrayed in it.

spiritual

Scripture

is

when God

not superfluous,

tures spiritually.

Then

deals with spiritual crea-

the cross of Christ

divine love far surpassing all

human

is

a manifestation of

conceptions; hence exercising

such irresistible power upon

all God's elect. preeminently true and apparent in love is equally true of every part of the work of grace in all its stages. In it God never denies Himself, nor the ordinance and plan after which

And

that which

man was

created.

God granted man

He overcame

is

Hence

it is its

the strongest

glory that, while on the one hand

means

of resistance,

that resistance in a divine and kingly

on the other

way by

the om-

nipotence of redeeming grace.

When tho

God

the apostle

testifies,

did beseech you by

us,

"

We

pray you in Christ's stead, as

be ye reconciled to God," he reveals

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